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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you'd let your 15 week old Baby Ride a Pony?

53 replies

IHaveNoIdeaReally · 17/04/2019 13:22

So would you let your 15 week old baby ride a pony with another child holding them?

I just saw a Mum post a pic and message about this, she was so pleased about her baby riding a pony. Said it was the first of many rides to come.

No way in a million years would I take my baby on a horse, they are too big, dangerous, and unpredictable imo. Also, I've never found horse riding fun. I doubt it's fun for the horse either.

I feel my judgement is clouded though by the fact that every time I see 2 relatives who own ponies, they have some new injury from riding or caring for them. Hmm

People seem really horse obsessed here though, so maybe this is actually quite normal in England? No clue. 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
Nixen · 17/04/2019 13:23

I’m pretty sure she just sat the baby on the pony to take a picture 🙄

Mumminmum · 17/04/2019 13:25

no. it is insane

adaline · 17/04/2019 13:25

Ah come on - the baby will be put there while the photo is taken and them removed again. Riding school horses are very, very used to children!

ChrisPrattsFace · 17/04/2019 13:25

Surely it would depend on the trust of the other riding/holding the baby? And on the trust of the horse?
One of mine is bullet proof - very trustworthy in every situation, the other two I don’t even like being on them so it’s totally different.

RatherBeRiding · 17/04/2019 13:26

I imagine the baby was being held on the pony rather than riding as such, but yes I completely agree with you (and I'm a horse owner).

NO child should be on a pony, even for a sit, without a riding hat. Owners know their horses of course, and there are ones out there that genuinely wouldn't move a muscle in the wrong direction without a signal from the owner to do so - but a 15 week old baby being held on a pony by another child is madness.

SilverySurfer · 17/04/2019 13:27

It's obvious that a 15 week old cannot ride a pony and agree was put on the pony just for the photograph.

LoveB · 17/04/2019 13:29

i doubt it's fun for the horse either

Not in all cases, granted. But it is often a lot of fun for the horses.

Easterbunnynearlyhere · 17/04/2019 13:32

We took pics of ds sleeping alongside our ddog.
It was staged of course. No baby sleeps with a husky!!
Unless the baby was also doing jumps yabu.

Takethebuscuitandthesink · 17/04/2019 13:32

No, no and no. I can’t imagine anyone being that stupid to take the risk luckily the baby in question was ok but the baby should never been places in such danger.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 17/04/2019 13:34

People seem really horse obsessed here though, so maybe this is actually quite normal in England? No clue.

Could you expand on your racial profiling a little more?

CalmDownPacino · 17/04/2019 13:39

Isn't being a in a car more dangerous than posing for a picture on a pony whilst being held by an older child?

HBStowe · 17/04/2019 13:40

It would very much depend on the pony! I have my childhood pony still, and he is so ancient and zen like that actually getting him to do anything other than stand very still or walk very slowly is a near impossible task. He’s perfect for beginners because sitting on him is like sitting on a large, warm rock. So if a child was on him I might well be happy to hand up a 15 week old baby for the sake of a quick photo.

I’m not suggesting it’s generally a safe or sensible thing to do, but on the right pony for the sake of a few seconds the risk is pretty low and easily controlled by an adult standing very close by.

ScatteredMama82 · 17/04/2019 13:44

You are judging a mum for doing something you know nothing about. You clearly are not a horsey person, from your comment about 'horse obsessed in England'. A baby being held on a horse that's standing still is fine. I really dislike these judgemental threads. If she'd had YOUR baby on a horse then you would be entitled to ask if it was ok. She didn't though.

Ribbonsonabox · 17/04/2019 13:44

No but that doesnt sound like thats what's happened. A 15 week old baby cannot ride a pony they would just fall straight off. It sounds like the older child just held the baby on its lap on the pony whilst the photo was being taken. Which is fine as presumably it's a pony they know the nature of... no more dangerous than taking a pic of a baby with a dog...
And much less dangerous statistically than driving with a baby in the car... and yet wed mostly dothat without a second thought!

Original poster
IHaveNoIdeaReally · 17/04/2019 13:54

Babies sometimes have to be in cars or buses or even pushed in a pushchair. They never have to be on a horse.

The baby being held by an older child and the Mum's wording is what made it sound like an actual ride happened. Hopefully it didn't.

Personally I wouldn't even sit my baby on a pony for a picture because there's no guarantee it won't be spooked and over something unnecessary. It also treats the animal like it's just a prop instead of a living creature.

OP posts:
joystir59 · 17/04/2019 13:57

If my baby could ride a pony at 15 weeks I would be rich I think

adaline · 17/04/2019 13:57

It also treats the animal like it's just a prop instead of a living creature.

Do you disagree with riding lessons in general then?
What about keeping cats or dogs as pets?
Or people getting their dogs to pose for photos?

What's the difference between letting a small child learn to ride a horse, and said child sitting on the horse with their younger sibling for all of probably sixty seconds?

adaline · 17/04/2019 13:58

The baby being held by an older child and the Mum's wording is what made it sound like an actual ride happened. Hopefully it didn't.

Um. How on earth do you think a 15 week old could ride a horse?

Reastie · 17/04/2019 13:58

How old was the child? Presumably the older child had to hold onto something when the horse was walking and so the baby was put there just for the photo. It would be ridiculous for a child to hold a young baby for a pony ride as they wouldn’t be able to also effectively hold onto reins but I’m betting it was just for the photo.

pelirocco123 · 17/04/2019 13:59

I think you are over thinking this OP , the baby would have just be sat on the pony , or maybe the pony was led round slowly while someone held the baby in place ! There is zero danger
I know someone whose very small for her age daughter . let herself in the stable , tacked up a new to them horse and was found riding it round their outdoor school , she was probably 7 or 8 at the time ...they bounce

FlyingElbows · 17/04/2019 14:00

It's never too early to start practicing those up downs!

Bambamber · 17/04/2019 14:02

Was it your child? Your pony? Did anyone get hurt? Guessing not

Floralnomad · 17/04/2019 14:02

How does a 15 week old baby actually ride a pony , what you mean is a 15 week old baby had its photo taken on a pony . I’ve got loads of pictures of ds on our horses and ponies from about 5/6 months , to clarify he wasn’t riding , he was just posing for photos with our pets .

BarbarianMum · 17/04/2019 14:03

You'rebeing daft and judgy. And 15 week old babies don't need to be in cars that often, we choose to put them there to facilitate our lifestyles. Because each journey is a pretty small risk. Bit like being posed on a pony for a photo.

Rottencooking · 17/04/2019 14:04

@PlainSpeakingStraightTalking that isn't what racial profiling is...

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